Roy Smith, Marine Engine Service Manager with Thompson Power, has worked with Terral RiverService to install gplink® on one of their towboats. Terral RiverService, of Lake Providence, LA, operates a fleet of 14 towboats, including their newest addition the Thomas M. Gattle. The Thomas M. Gattle was designed by NewSouth Marine Construction, Inc. of Greenville, Mississippi.
The Thomas M. Gattle was built in 2011 and is a 104 ft, 2,800-hp NewSouth Marine Retractable Wheelhouse Pushboat with dual Cat® 3512 electronic diesel engines and a fuel capacity of 35,000 gallons. Currently, the Thomas M. Gattle primarily travels the Mississippi River moving barges and transporting goods & materials.
The Thomas M. Gattle is the latest addition to the Terral RiverService fleet, and is the first to have gplink on-board.
Roy Smith states,
“Terral RiverService uses gplink to track the Thomas M. Gattle and it is great for monitoring DM (Diagnostic Message) codes. They also use it to track hours, as well as boat location.”
Additionally, gplink is great at monitoring fuel burn and DM2’s. By monitoring fuel burn, and adjusting load weights and speed, a company can drastically reduce their yearly fuel consumption and costs. In general, workboat power systems undergo extreme and extended service applications that make having gplink aboard an ideal tool to help prevent or minimize downtime.